March Plant of the month…… Buddleja

You have probably spotted one of these plants when you’ve been out and about, even if you didn’t realise that’s what it was at the time. The reason for this is that Buddleja gets everywhere!

Originally introduced to the UK from China in the 1890s, it has become widely naturalised on waste ground, along railway cuttings and in urban areas. They’ll grow in almost any location - often seen growing out of brickwork, and are classed as invasive plants.

However, they produce beautiful flowers which attract butterflies, hence the common name for this plant – the butterfly bush.

Many people choose to grow Buddleja in their garden, and there are lots of varieties to choose from. Flowers come in a wide range of colours including purple, blue, pink, white and yellow and appear continuously for 4-6 weeks in late summer.

So why am I talking about Buddleja now? It’s not exactly summer…!

Well, Buddleja flower on new growth. So to get the best display from your plant, and to prevent your butterfly bush getting too big, you need to prune it back hard sometime between late March and May.

So, if you'd like a Buddleja, and all the butterflies it attracts, in your garden, here are some you might like to consider (according to Gardner's World):

• Buddleja davidii ‘Summer Beauty’ – a small variety, with deep pink flowers and narrow, green-grey leaves. It’s perfect for growing at the front of a border, or in containers.

• Buddleja davidii ‘Santana’ – with variegated leaves and wine-red flowers from July to September.

• Buddleja × weyriana 'Sungold' – unusual Buddleja with round clusters of golden yellow flowers with a strong fragrance.

• Buddleja davidii 'Ile de France' – deep purple flowers appear from July to September.

• Buddleja davidii ‘Buzz Sky Blue’ – compact and easy to grow with deep-blue flowers. Suitable for small gardens and containers.

• Buddleja alternifolia – different to the more familiar Buddleja davidii, the branches are slender and arching, bearing dense clusters of soft lilac-purple or pink fragrant flowers. The Royal Horticultural Society has given it the prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM).